Hey Angie and cherry its darrell I have come to find out that my grand father harvey weldon demings last name got changed when he and his brother Raymond went to the war they added an extra m to there last name from what I have found it was to make them sound more English when my grandfather harvey came home from the war he kept the extra m spelling on his last name for some odd reason and his brother Raymond didn't he used the one m spelling in the last name this has made my research eh little tricky now that i figured that out the true mystery for me is why did my grandfather keep the two m spelling in his last name cause now my dad Gary has the 2 m spelling in his last name same with me and my four other brothers if anyone with any info on why my grandfather harvey kept the two m spelling plz post the info on here

Posted by: Cherry Kembel

Posted on: 13. Oct 2017 at 17:58

Hi to Angie and Darrell. I am a daughter of Helen Maud (Demmings) Kembel. I have been reading through this thread and find it very interesting. My mother always told us that her racial origin was Irish/Scottish/Dutch but I am seeing a Portugese connection here. George Fletcher Demmings was my grandfather and George Jr. is my mother's twin brother. I don't know very much about the Demmings side of my family tree as my mother never spoke about it much other than the names of her siblings and where they were located. We moved to Saskatchewan when I was a year old, after my dad Theodore Richard Kembel left the Navy in 1946. I do remember Irene Mullins and family came to visit us in Regina in the 1950's. George and Glady came to BC, with my parents, to visit me in 1976. That was the only time I met them but Glady and I wrote letters until her death. You, Gary Demings and Larry Demings would be my cousins. If anyone would like, I can be contacted at cherrykembel9@gmail.com.

Posted by: Cherry Kembel

Posted on: 13. Oct 2017 at 17:55

Hi to Angie and Darrell. I am a daughter of Helen Maud (Demmings) Kembel. I have been reading through this thread and find it very interesting. My mother always told us that her racial origin was Irish/Scottish/Dutch but I am seeing a Portugese connection here. George Fletcher Demmings was my grandfather and George Jr. is my mother's twin brother. I don't know very much about the Demmings side of my family tree as my mother never spoke about it much other than the names of her siblings and where they were located. We moved to Saskatchewan when I was a year old, after my dad Theodore Richard Kembel left the Navy in 1946. I do remember Irene Mullins and family came to visit us in Regina in the 1950's. George and Glady came to BC, with my parents, to visit me in 1976. That was the only time I met them but Glady and I wrote letters until her death. You, Gary Demings and Larry Demings would be my cousins.

Hey angie an larry ive done lots more research on my grandfather harvey weldon demmings dob 1926. Was the brother of sydney george raymond rolan jean maude ireane demmings i have found out that my grandfather harvey got married in 1946 in New Brunswick to a stella power (demmings) just sumtime after that he moved to ontario with his brother raymond larrys father. My grandfather married a second wife named annie swoffer (demmings) dob 1932 im not sure how many kids harvey had with stella or how many kids harvey had with annie my father gary weldon demmings dob 1953 son of harvey weldon demmings. My father he believes he has a brother named lee or les anyone with more info on this plz contact me at nyteowl.1987@hotmail.com an i have also tracked my genealogy to an Anthony demings who is a Portuguese descent i have documents papers pictures ect. Also another cousin of mine gary wayne demmings also has documents to co inside all of this also larry thk u for the documents u sent me im still waiting for the videos an otherpapers an pictures u said u had of my father gary weldon demmings an angie feelfree to msg me anytime u want would luv to hear from u

Posted by: Larry Demings

Posted on: 09. Nov 2015 at 20:02

Darrell, Angie who started this thread is a cousin of ours. You can reach me at ldemings@durhamregion.com. Sorry we haven't been able to get together in person yet.

Posted by: darrell Demmings

Posted on: 18. Aug 2015 at 01:03

Hello my name is darrell demmings and my father is gary demmings grandfather was harvey demmiings his fathers name was george fletcher demmings i have been abke to research every thing a little bit but can only come up wiith the names of my great grandfathers siblings but thats only as far as i could get i would love yo get in touch witb anyone of my distant family that knows anything more about this please feel free to contact me on email Nyteowl.1987@hotmail.com

Posted by: Karla Demings-Carty

Posted on: 24. Jan 2012 at 19:13

Hi Stacy,I am a descendant of the William Demings from Portuguese background.I have Margaret Jane MacPhearson (1827- June 11, 1901) for your William T. Demings (06 Dec 1824). I only have 1 child for him Jessie Dexter Demings. I have hit a brick wall With William Demings b 1775 m. Phoebe.

My Grandfather was part of the Heritage Society for Pugwash.

Karla

Posted by: Stacy

Posted on: 27. Mar 2011 at 21:21

I have traced my ancestry back to William Demings (abt. 1824) but have not yet gotten any further back.

I recently solved a bit of a family mystery. I have a 2nd great grandmother Deborah Matilda Demings (1852 - 1904) who was the daughter of John Chappell (of Tidnish). Reading some history of Tidnish Bridge, I found out she was his step daughter. After some research, I figured out that she was actually the sister of John's wife Pheobe Demings (b 1836) of Pugwash. Their father was William Demings (abt. 1824) and their mother was a Margaret J. (?). I haven't yet been able to back further. I do know that William's parents were born in Nova Scotia according to the 1871 census. I have found what appears to be 2 William Demings on the census (one of English background which appears to be mine by the children in the house and one of Portuguese background with different children). I'm not sure yet what to make of these 2 Williams with close birth years of differing backgrounds and same last name. If anyone could help me make any sense of this or get back further, it would be much appreciated. Cheers.

Posted by: Larry Demings

Posted on: 19. Mar 2008 at 16:12

Hi Angie, Larry Demings here from Oshawa Ontario. I have been doing a bit of investigation into our name as well and thus, I discovered your posting. I am 43 years old and my 47 year old brother is James Demings. Our Dad is Raymond Leon Demings originally from Frosty Hollow New Brunswick and his Brothers were George, Syd, and Harvey all of whom spelled the name Demmings. His Sisters were Jean, Irene and Helen. My Grandfather's name is George Fletcher Demings and my Great Grandfather is Fletcher Demings. My Grandmother's name is Maude and my Great Grandmother's name is Maria Crossman. My Dad is the last sibling still alive and he is 78 years old and also is living in Oshawa with my Mom Shirley. I have been down east visiting several times over the course of my life and have met all my Aunts and Uncles as well as my Grandfather and Step-Grandmother Maude. I'm pretty sure you would like to speak with my Mom as she has been doing her own research and even has several old, old photos including one of Maria Crossman. You can email me back at ldemings@durhamregion.com Cool....I just spoke with my Mom over the phone.....is your Dad's name Lee or Gary by any chance? I remember as a kid playing at my Aunt and Uncle's farm (Syd and Bertha) with my adopted Cousin Kim. Hope to hear back from you.

Would you please provide names and dates of your Demings ancestry back as far as your g-grandmother if you have them.

I may be able to help you with your "folk tale".

-=Carl=-

Posted by: Rod Fullerton

Posted on: 04. Feb 2008 at 22:41

Hi Angie - I don't know if this will help, but I believe my great-grandmother was a Demings. My mother told me and my siblings that the name was a modification of de Mingo, and it originated with a marooned sailor who was Portugese. Mom was born in Pugwash River and lived in Pugwash until she married my father. She died a couple of years ago at age 95. I have no idea if this story has any basis in fact or if it is just a folk tale. However, it is interesting that you are unable to trace your origins past a few generations. Good luck with your research.

Being born and raised in Pugwash, I went to school there. During my childhood,and until I left the area, I had friends Jimmy, Donnie, and Elly(Eleanor) Demings. I am sure that Jimmy and Elly are still in that area,not sure about Donnie. Their father's name was either Donald Demings or Arthur Demings, both of whom were life long residents.There is an historical society in Pugwash, just google search Village of Pugwash andit should lead you to it.Also, look on the cemetaries of Nova Scotia and look up Palmerston Cemetary. You may get some info there.

Hi! Angie .....Although I have a large database on Demings I seem to have the same problem as you do with finding the ancestry of your grandfather Sydney Fletcher Demmings.I do have his father as George and grandfather as Fletcher who m. Maria Crossman. I don't have any connection previous to that.I believe the cybermuseum you visited was that of a "Deming" family (without the "s") who were in the US back long before any of the "Demings" family arrived.There is no Demings "book" to my knowledge.Here is an obit for George Demings which may or may not be of help: &#65279;From Moncton Daily Times, Feb. 11, 1969; George F. Demings of Frosty Hollow ( outside Sackville ) died Feb. 10, age 78. Born Maine s/o late Fletcher and Maria ( Crossman ) Demings. He was a mechanic and stationary engineer. Survived by second wife Maude Fillmore. 4 sons: Sidney, Hillsborough, N.B., Geo. Jr. Berry Mills, N.B.; Harvey, Toronto, Ont.; Raymond, Ottawa, Ont.; 3 Daug: Mrs. Raymond Bowser (Jean), Ottawa; Mrs. Irene Mullin, Oshawa; Mrs. Richard Kimble (Helen), Regina; Stepson: Leman Spence, Toronto. Buried Point de Bute Cemetery, N.B.-=Carl Demings=-

I am researching my family tree and I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on a few things. What I know for sure is that my grandfather (who is deceased and that is part of the problem) Sydney Fletcher Demmings was born in Nova Scotia (Pugwash area I believe). The spelling of his last name was changed when he enlisted in the army to "look more english." His father was George Fletcher Demings and his mother was Amy Dixon. George's father was Fletcher Demings, who married a Maria Crossman. After getting this far, the line gets somewhat muddled but leads shakily to Anthony Demings, who was married to Phebe Louisa Adthad. This leads to a possible dead end or William and Phebe Demings being the parents of Anthony.

I am very new to researching my geneology and I was hoping someone here may be from the same line and could verify any of this? Or maybe your research took you in a different path? I have found the Demings cybermuseum, but I am unable to trace my family back far enough to see if it is my geneological line. There is also some questions about Demings actually not being English, but misspelled and actually Demingo from Portugal? Has anyone heard of this?

Last but not least, does anyone know of any written geneaological history of the Demings family. I know some families have books published and I would love to get my hands on one for my family!